Fragmentation in the Literature: Project Management, Social Innovation, and Selection for Civil Society Organizations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47456/regec.2317-5087.2026.15.3.52723.100.121Keywords:
project management in the third sector; civil society organizations; social innovation; selection of public projects; public administration.Abstract
The strengthening of partnerships between public administration and civil society organizations (CSOs) has increased the
need for more consistent technical criteria for the selection and management of social projects. This study aimed to
structure and systematize the theoretical foundations of project management in the Third Sector, social innovation, and
public selection criteria for Civil Society Organizations. A Systematic Literature Review was conducted using the Web of
Science and Scopus databases, resulting in a final sample of 122 articles published between 2014 and 2024. The findings
reveal a fragmented body of literature, characterized by the predominance of isolated studies on project management,
social innovation, and public selection processes. The results also indicate the prevalence of traditional management
approaches, limited practical operationalization of social innovation, and the absence of structured technical criteria in
public selection processes. It is concluded that there is a theoretical and practical gap in the integration of these three
dimensions.
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